Friedreich's Ataxia (FRDA) is a hereditary, progressive neurodegenerative disorder caused by mutations in the gene encoding frataxin. The mutation results in a severe reduction in levels of the mitochondrial protein, frataxin. A decline in frataxin levels and its associated consequences is believed to be the primary cause of symptoms in FRDA patients. The clinical symptoms of FRDA include progressive gait and limb ataxia, dysarthria, diabetes mellitus and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. First symptoms usually appear between the age of 5 and 15 years. As the disease progresses the patient becomes confined to a wheel chair and at later stages the patients become increasingly incapacitated. There is currently no effective treatment for FRDA.